For this episode of Open the Pod Bay Doors host, Ian Gardiner, is joined by Rob Sibo, Head of AI/ML Customer Engineering ANZ, Google.

Ian and Rob sat down in late 2024 to discuss all things AI. From demo's to production: Scaling AI in 2025. Rob’s focus for the coming year is clear: move beyond quick wins and proofs of concept to real production use cases. He anticipates a leap in conversational and multimodal AI agents—ones that can autonomously act on your behalf via voice, text, or other inputs.

In this incredibly insightful session you can expect:
🧠 Insights on AI Adoption
📊 Advice for Startups & Builders
🧭 On Ethics, Responsibility & The Agent Era
🌐 How to Get Involved with Google Cloud

“In 2025, the conversation won’t be about what’s possible, it’ll be about what agentic experience do we want to create.”

Quick Fire Round:

📚 Book recommendation – I'm a sucker for dune by Frank Herbert. I've read them all twice
🎧 Podcast recommendation – The Well, Babbage, and AI daily brief
👨‍💼 Favourite CEO – Sundar Pichai, Google and Sam Altman, OpenAI
🗞️ News source – Google news
🛠️ Productivity tool – OmniFocus
📱 Favourite app – The Gemini App and Apple Music
📺 TV or movie recommendation – Historical dramas, whether they're accurate or not. Medicis and the Ancient Apocalypse.
🎤 TED Talk topic – ethical and responsible AI

Google Cloud program mentioned:
The Google for Startups Cloud Program helps pre-seed to Series A startups thrive by giving them access to the technology, community, and resources they need to start and scale their business.

Check out the additional benefits for AI and Web3 startups.

Eligible AI startups can get up to US$350k in Google Cloud credits, dedicated technical supports, hands-on AI training, exclusive access to events, webinars, and more. Apply today.

Web3 startups can get up to US$200k in free credits, invite-only access to gated Discord channel, foundations grants, VIP event access and more. Apply today.

For this episode of Open the Pod Bay Doors host, Ian Gardiner, is joined by Rob Sibo, Head of AI/ML Customer Engineering ANZ, Google.
Ian and Rob sat down in late 2024 to discuss all things AI. From demo's to production: Scaling AI in 2025.&nbsp;Rob&rsquo;s focus for the coming year is clear: move beyond quick wins and proofs of concept to real production use cases. He anticipates a leap in conversational and multimodal AI agents&mdash;ones that can autonomously act on your behalf via voice, text, or other inputs.
In this incredibly insightful session you can expect: 🧠 Insights on AI Adoption 📊 Advice for Startups &amp; Builders 🧭 On Ethics, Responsibility &amp; The Agent Era 🌐 How to Get Involved with Google Cloud &ldquo;In 2025, the conversation won&rsquo;t be about what&rsquo;s possible, it&rsquo;ll be about what agentic experience do we want to create.&rdquo;
Quick Fire Round:
📚 Book recommendation &ndash; I'm a sucker for dune by Frank Herbert. I've read them all twice 🎧 Podcast recommendation &ndash; The Well, Babbage, and AI daily brief 👨&zwj;💼 Favourite CEO &ndash; Sundar Pichai, Google and Sam Altman, OpenAI 🗞️ News source &ndash; Google news 🛠️ Productivity tool &ndash; OmniFocus 📱 Favourite app &ndash; The Gemini App and Apple Music 📺 TV or movie recommendation &ndash; Historical dramas, whether they're accurate or not. Medicis and the Ancient Apocalypse. 🎤 TED Talk topic &ndash; ethical and responsible AI
Google Cloud program mentioned: The&nbsp;<a href="https://cloud.google.com/startup?hl=en&amp;utm_campaign=Innovation%20Bay%20Newsletter&amp;utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz--68-4ARKMDJyzZxf6HITEfoxO-Iy6Qh2U12n5KkK1zTX_RHcIbR75XxwsfZY8f2FDiuKIA" data-hs-link-id="1" data-hs-link-id-v2="ctt6m5dc">Google for Startups Cloud Program</a>&nbsp;helps pre-seed to Series A startups thrive by giving them access to the technology, community, and resources they need to start and scale their business.
Check out the additional benefits for AI and Web3 startups.
Eligible AI startups can get up to US$350k in Google Cloud credits, dedicated technical supports, hands-on AI training, exclusive access to events, webinars, and more. <a href="https://cloud.google.com/startup?utm_source=innovationbay&amp;utm_medium=partner&amp;utm_campaign=FY21-Q1-global-demandgen-website-cs-startup_program_mc&amp;utm_content=anz_innobay_startup_newsletter&amp;utm_term=-&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz--68-4ARKMDJyzZxf6HITEfoxO-Iy6Qh2U12n5KkK1zTX_RHcIbR75XxwsfZY8f2FDiuKIA" data-hs-link-id="0" data-hs-link-id-v2="KwG8afD6">Apply today.</a>
Web3 startups can get up to US$200k in free credits, invite-only access to gated Discord channel, foundations grants, VIP event access and more. <a href="https://cloud.google.com/startup?utm_source=innovationbay&amp;utm_medium=partner&amp;utm_campaign=FY21-Q1-global-demandgen-website-cs-startup_program_mc&amp;utm_content=anz_innobay_startup_newsletter&amp;utm_term=-&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz--68-4ARKMDJyzZxf6HITEfoxO-Iy6Qh2U12n5KkK1zTX_RHcIbR75XxwsfZY8f2FDiuKIA" data-hs-link-id="1" data-hs-link-id-v2="x3rp8J6J">Apply today.</a>

There is a lot of activity in the Australian startup ecosystem. Ideas, talent, and money are all flowing into this sector at an unprecedented rate. 

This weekly podcast brings in-depth interviews with the best people making the biggest difference.

It's brought to you by Ian Gardiner and Phaedon Stough, technology entrepreneurs helping to grow the startup sector in Australia and New Zealand. Ian and Phaedon co-founded Innovation Bay with a clear mission to help technology entrepreneurs succeed.

A weekly deep dive into Australia's tech and startup ecosystem. Brought to you by Innovation Bay

Open the Pod Bay Doors

The Australian and New Zealand startup ecosystem is burgeoning, exciting and filled with some of the most fascinating minds on the planet, all driven by a passion to make a positive and lasting impact. Open The Pod Bay Doors invites some of the brightest minds in the industry for deep conversations and awe-inspiring insights from their captivating journeys. Lend us your ears to gain some fresh knowledge and broaden your insights. Brought to you weekly by Innovation Bay. 

The Australian and New Zealand startup ecosystem is burgeoning, exciting and filled with some of the most fascinating minds on the planet, all driven by a passion to make a positive and lasting impact. Open The Pod Bay Doors invites some of the brightest minds in the industry for deep conversations and awe-inspiring insights from their captivating journeys. Lend us your ears to gain some fresh knowledge and broaden your insights. Brought to you weekly by Innovation Bay.

EP. 187 Rob Sibo, Head of AI/ML Customer Engineering ANZ, Google

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/9c434ae7-dbdc-45ab-9d27-aed80050a466/clips/36e51ca4-ec0f-4651-b268-b22e017db202/transcript

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